Red Demon-Deidre Knight

Red Demon
Deidre Knight
Signet, Jun 2010, $7.99
ISBN: 9780451230454

Although his beloved died a hundred years ago, Aristos Petrakos still grieves his loss. Adding to his misery is his feeling of guilt as he believes that the love of his life Juliana Tiades loathed his shapeshifting and his wings so chose death by drowning in the Savannah River rather than an abomination like him.

Sophie Lowery visits Ari and informs him that she believes Juliana’s spirit lives at her house and is trying to contact him as if she does not comprehend she is dead. He does not believe her, but cannot ignore what she said just in case his Juliana needs help and perhaps a miracle. Juliana wants to be with her beloved Ari so has not accepted she died a century ago. An apparent female angel gives her a chance to return to corporal form and she takes it; not grasping the Faustian deal she made. However, Ari has doubts that this is Juliana and besides he spent ten decades in remorse believing she rejected him. Juliana has to persuade her Ari to listen to their hearts.

This is an excellent Gods of Midnight (see Ted Kiss) romantic urban fantasy with a terrific premise as a second chance at love for a relatively short time together comes with the price of likely one and maybe two souls. Fast-paced throughout with a strong lead pair and a solid support cast to include Sophie the medium, a fuming Ares, a Djinn demon, and the Spartan Brotherhood; fans will need to set aside time as this is a one sitting red eye special.

Harriet Klausner